Sophy trots off the bridge ready if any of the remaining foes should turn their attention to her.

The archers fire again, unable to see Kern beyond the walls of their stockade all three take a shot at the elf, whom Sophy is now behind. One of the arrows comes close, but fate is on Eponine's side and she avoids yet another barrage of arrows. At the other tower the cackling goblin there, tosses another smoking gourd over the wall. The rotting pumpkin splits apart on the halfling's head covering him in hot burning oil that splashes about him burning the goblin and goblin dog that are in his vicinity.

Pointing to the goblin that caught him with the flaming projectile- Belril makes a cutting motion across his own throat, glaring his emnity at the little vermin.

Its not an demoralise attempt, just a bit of fluff in there. Hes not likely to be impressed with Belril's -1 intimidate modifier but you never know...

1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3 Intimidate

Still alight from the liquid fire coating him, Belril nevertheless relentlessly assaults the goblin dog before him, the sounds of his club thwacking against its skull contrasted against the sizzling of his burnt flesh.

Victor easily snipes the last goblin on the southern end of the bridge killing it with a well placed arrow in the neck. Eponine nicks the goblin dog with the tip of her blade, its looks ragged but it still lives. Belril becomes an swirling inferno as he ignores the pain of the sticky flaming goo on him and smashes his staff into the goblin dog's head killing it as the flames flicker.

The once mounted goblin on the ground crawls up to its knees and pleads with Kern, "No smash me no smash me!"

Kern looks down at the pleading goblin and grimaces. "Pathetic," he says. He switches his flail to hold in one hand and slams the goblin on the top of the head with his free fist to knock the pathetic beast out.

Turning to see that it was indeed Victor that had helped save Wren's bacon, the fiery wizard gives perhaps the closest to a compliment she had ever given him. "Victor, you aren't nearly as terrible with that bow as you used to be. Thanks for the help! Now do you think that bridge can support both our weight if we were to cross and help the others?"

She looks to the other side, and sees the halfling running around on fire. Hell, just look over there...that little maniac's went and set himself ablaze! They are going to get routed wtihout us."

Sophy shrieks with alarm as Belril goes up in flames, but she can think of nothing to do to put him out other than to push him over the cliff into the sea. Instead, she takes the opportunity to pick her way squeamishly through the corpses to take cover against the wall of the fortress itself, where she hopes the goblins' arrows -- and conflagrative gourds -- cannot find her. "What do we do?" she calls to the others. "Go inside?"

I'm not actually on fire, its just the extra damage from Alchemists Fire. Its run its course now.

We press the attack, fool! Belril declares, bravery (or madness) ablaze in his eyes. He might look rather comical in another less dire circumstance, with singed eyebrows looking a little ridiculous as he glares at Sophy, worried that the group had lost its courage yet again.

Sophy cowers against the fortress wall, cringing under the charred halfling's scorching rebuke.

She's taken her action for this round. It's going to be up to someone else to open the doors and face whatever surprise they've assembled for us in there over the last few rounds. But I think the goblins on the towers get to shoot at us again first.

Kern punches the surrendering goblin in the face sending it into a forced sleep as Wren dashes out onto the bridge.

Round 8

Sophy presses herself against the wall of the stockade, a mishmash of ship-beams and scavenged timber, trying to keep out of sight of the archers above. They continue to attack two fire at the elf, but one turns and takes a shot at Wren as she is coming across the bridge. Fear seems to have made the archers more accurate as Eponine his hit by one arrow and saved by her magic shielding spell from another. Wren also feels a sharp puncture, and sees a crow feathered arrow sticking out of her. Though brave in continuing his attack, the sticky burning oil sears and harms Belril before the fuel can completely run its course. The goblin with the flaming gourds grins wickedly on the wall and tosses another one down. The toss is way over the halflings head and the pumpkin bursts between him, Eponine and Kern, but none are in the area that is effected by the splash.

Wren, thanks! Floating my blade up to me like that was perfect timing!

Sophy is glad to be away from the group and half-hidden in the shrubbery, as a deep blush creeps up her face. Had it been Wren doing that? Had she been foolish to think she could control the spirits haunting her? The image of her standing on the bridge concentrating so hard on doing nothing at all fills her with embarrassment.

Seeing Wren get hit again, Blast! She has got hit again! And Eponine as well! He screams within his mind as he takes aim once again at the lone goblin in the tower. If I can just take this one out, Belril and Kern can concentrate on those three over there. Victor lets loose the arrow, Please Desna, I could use a little luck, he prays as he watches the arrow soar.

Going to go ahead and move the thread along and have Eponine DELAY her action with the promise that depending on the action it may not adjust her Initiative spot.

Victor lines up his shot and send an arrow across the gap, accounting for the wind he places the arrow cleanly in the center of the goblin's head. Eponine watches looking for another target, and seeing none in her immediate vicinity waits to see what happens next. Belril moves to the stockade door to see if and how the goblins may have secured it.

The stockade is made of thick wood. Closer inspection reveals that most of the wood seems to have been scavenged from ships. A few nameplates remain affixed to some of the timbers, while others look like they might have once been masts.

Belril is able to peer through some of the gaps between the timbers and into the stockade. He can tell that a large wooden mast is barring doors to prevent them from being opened. It doesn't appear that any goblins are in the dirt floored room, however Belril can make out several dog and horse heads mounted on the walls.

The ease at which Belril can make out these details brings his attention to the fact that the sun is starting to creep up over the horizon allowing a bit of light to penetrate into the poorly built stockade.

Eponine used her actions this round to pick up her crossbow and dagger. That would be two move actions, which is all she can do other than a five-foot-step. Technically, she doesn't even have them sheathed yet, as that's another move action for each weapon, so I'm not sure she's really "ready with her curved blade." She could pick up one weapon and put it away this round and use next round for the other one. I'm quite familiar with rules on dropping and retrieving weapons by this point. :)

Eponine wrote:

Eponine recovers her dropped weapons and stands ready with her curved blade.

Eponine used her actions this round to pick up her crossbow and dagger. That would be two move actions, which is all she can do other than a five-foot-step. Technically, she doesn't even have them sheathed yet, as that's another move action for each weapon, so I'm not sure she's really "ready with her curved blade." She could pick up one weapon and put it away this round and use next round for the other one. I'm quite familiar with rules on dropping and retrieving weapons by this point. :)

Eponine wrote:

Eponine recovers her dropped weapons and stands ready with her curved blade.

Yep, you are right...It must be early, I saw the bolder text of what she said, missed the description of her actions. Eponine has weapons and it is Kern and Wren's action.

Yep, you are right...It must be early, I saw the bolder text of what she said, missed the description of her actions. Eponine has weapons and it is Kern and Wren's action.

Would you be willing to have Eponine pick up and sling the crossbow, and have Camlo hop down and pick up the dagger? The next round the monkey can return the dagger to her sheath and returning himself to his pouch?

Yep, you are right...It must be early, I saw the bolder text of what she said, missed the description of her actions. Eponine has weapons and it is Kern and Wren's action.

Would you be willing to have Eponine pick up and sling the crossbow, and have Camlo hop down and pick up the dagger? The next round the monkey can return the dagger to her sheath and returning himself to his pouch?

Wren moves to the relatively safe spot beside Sophy. "Do you still have that healing wand? As you can see from the arrow holes, the goblins have had pretty good luck shooting at me!"

Wren is 12 hps down right now.

Sophy stares helplessly between the halfling requisitioning healing for the savaged Kern, Wren's demands, and the multiple puncture wounds oozing blood on her own body; Eponine and Victor also have visible injuries, as well as the angry red burns on Belril's exposed flesh. "It's almost used up," she stammers apologetically. "There's not enough power left to heal us all. And how will I ever repay Father Zantus?"

She wrestles the recalcitrant wand out of her pack with difficulty and holds it up across her palm so Wren can detect for herself how weak the aura has gotten.

4 charges left. Kern's down 23, Sophy's down 15, Wren and Victor are down 12, Belril's down 8. Markofbane, are your hp on your character sheet current? I know you just got hit with an arrow last volley.... EDIT: Okay, Eponine down 6.

Standard action: retrieve stored item, and thank you so much, Wren, for making her do that instead of going Total Defense ;P

"If we can save Ameiko, I think Father Zantus will overlook his wand being used up. We can repay him out of the spoils we take from these creatures when we get her back," Wren tries to convince Sophy to take action.

Wren slides up next to Sophy taking cover against the wall, as Kern stands his ground waiting to see what might happen next.

Begin Round 9

Sophy pulls out Father Zantus's wand and wrestles with the idea that its power is limited. From above the goblins cackle gleefully and fire more arrows at Eponine, their only viable target. The middle one jumps for joy since his is the only arrow that strikes her.

Victor's frustration continues, "Blast! Find cover, Eponine!" as the goblins continue to pepper the others from above. Victor moves back across the bridge so as to get a better angle on the pesky goblins.

Move to AC 31(or AD 32 if that's too far); Attack the one on the wall nearest Sophy

Victor once again works his way across the rope bridge, stopping halfway to take a shot at one of the goblins. The swaying of the bridge causes his aim to be off kilter and he successful hits the broad side of the stockade.

Eponine moves to the stockade doors trying them, and finds they are barred shut from the inside.

Already having checked the doors, Belril announces what Eponine now knows, and then moves to try and eliminate the archer threat from above. He flings a stone and smacks a goblin in the face before dropping prone amongst the briar bushes.

DM, I'll be out until Mnday for the most part. A new Orleans trip was proposed, and I couldn't say no. I'll try to check in, but I bet there will be heavy drinking, so I can't guarantee it. I'll be back Mnday evening if all goes well. Run Wren as needed. Kill those pesky goblins, please, lol!

Sophy looks down at the crossbow hanging at her belt, then at her hands full of dagger and wand, and sighs. Noticing Wren staring at the wand and muttering a spell under her breath, she gently lays it in the dancer's palm to free up her own hands a little. As her fingers brush Wren's skin, she offers, "I'm sorry you're hurt, Wren," and attempts to will healing power into the woman as she has done before.

Wren wrinkles her nose trying to figure out what just happened. "That didn't come from the wand, did it? You healed me while I was holding Father Zaantus' wand! You did know you could do this, didn't you? Look at my thigh...an arrow passed clean through and now you healed it," Wren was rambling on about Sophy's ability, forgetting for a moment about the surroundings.

If I am correct, Wren never has noticed Sohy's healing, other than with the wand. She's sort of blown away by this, lol.

Kern sizes up the situation and stows away his flail of instant death, opting for his crossbow now. Wren studies Father Zantus's wand and sees that Sophy is telling the truth, its power is waning and the healing is close to running out.

Round 10

Sophy pushes the wand into Wren's hands as Wren feels the pain of her wounds lesson. The wizards arcane sight reveals that the source of this curative magic was indeed Sophy, and the wand's strength remains unchanged.

More arrows rain down from above as the three goblins target the easiest one of you they can see, Victor alone on the bridge. All three fail to put arrows anywhere near the archer. One of them is shouting over his shoulder in his thick sounding language.